A Moroccan man has been denied French citizenship because he demanded his French wife wear a full-face Islamic veil, Reuters reports.
"It emerged during the inquiry and the interview process that this person forced his wife to wear the full veil, deprived her of freedom of movement with her face exposed and rejected the principles of secularism and equality between men and women," France's Immigration Minister Eric Besson said in a statement Tuesday.
France's Le Figaro newspaper obtained a copy of the ruling, which has also been published in English by The Guardian:
"Monsieur X displays in an everyday manner a discriminatory attitude towards women, going as far as refusing to shake their hands and advocating the separation of boys and girls including, at home, of brothers and sisters," the ruling read.
"The lifestyle he has chosen may be justified by religious precepts but is incompatible with the values of the Republic, notably the principle of equality of the sexes."
The ruling comes after months of fierce debate over the compatibility of the Islamic veil and France's secular values. Last month, a committee of French MPs voted to condemn the niqab, and called for a ban on the garment in public facilities and on public transport. They did not, however, request a full ban as many had predicted.